Detectives, Hormones and the Game of 'Clue'
by Wild Endangered Cantaloupe
Summary: As Kate navigates pregnancy, the boredom of being away from the precinct and impending parenthood, Castle comes up with a fun way for them to get back to their crime-solving tendencies while Beckett's on maternity leave. How? Why the game of 'Clue' of course, with the whole 12th gang in the Hamptons for the weekend. Chapter 2 is up now!
1. Get a 'Clue'

_**Just A Little Quick Summary:**_As Kate navigates pregnancy, the boredom of being away from the precinct and impending parenthood, Castle comes up with a fun way for them to get back to their crime-solving tendencies while Beckett's on maternity leave. How? Why the game of 'Clue' of course, with the whole 12th gang in the Hamptons for the weekend.

_**Author's note: **_

**Just some drabble for the hiatus. I was inspired by Castle's Rear Window episode from the last season. Let me know what you think. **

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own **_**Castle**_**. It belongs to ABC and Andrew Marlowe. **

**Detectives, Hormones and the Game of 'Clue'**

**Chapter 1:**** Get a 'Clue' **

A groggy and pregnant Kate Beckett sipped her herbal tea thoughtfully. The pregnancy had caused her to give up her coveted caffeine and opt for a decaffeinated replacement. This meant special pregnant lady tea Jenny had recommended. It tasted like fancy dishwater.

She jealously eyed Castle across the breakfast table, and his hand holding a cup of espresso.

Beckett grumbled into her tea cup: _*Grumble grumble*… Men. That damned Y chromosome. They don't have to give up anything when they get their girlfriend pregnant... The only contribution they had to make was the fun baby-making part. They don't have to wear clothes that look like they were fashioned for a whale. And they don't get swollen feet or morning sickness either. Lucky little-_

Rick's sweet smile from the other side of the table knocked her from her hormonal tornado of rage.

_Maybe men aren't that bad. I mean Castle does have some pretty loveable qualities. Fierce loyalty. The occasional heroic bravery- when I'm not saving his damsel-in-distress ass. And that smile- oh that smile. _Castle reached across the table and took her hand and squeezed it.

Kate smiled contently, before letting her hormones take over again.

_But he still gets to drink coffee and I don't. He still gets to go out in the field if he wanted to, and I don't. Breathe Kate, Breathe. _The jealousy subsided. _It's only one more month. Besides it's for the baby. _Kate calmed again, letting her other hand rest on her bump.

Damn hormones; they make everything so complicated. And they made her inner monologue sound a little too much like a bi-polar Gollum. Kate starred longingly at Castle's coffee cup. _We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious. _

Castle, oblivious to his girlfriend's crazy hormonal thoughts, innocently slurped up the last of his coffee.

"Feeling better today? _Castle Jr_. isn't giving you too much of a hard time is he?" He muttered into his cup, subtly.

She looked up from her teacup, eyes narrowed. He gave her a sly grin. A short staring contest.

"Castle Jr.? How sure are you that we aren't having a girl?" Beckett questioned, rubbing her belly as if to apologize to her baby if he/she/it happened to be female.

"Because I just know."

"Oh really? Wasn't it your idea to find out the gender until after he _or she _was born_?" _Her eyes narrowed further.

"True but only because I know I'm not going to be surprised, when you say 'oh look it's a boy. Let's name him Richard Castle Jr.'! And ill pretend to be surprised and say: What a wonderful idea!" He was teasing her.

Beckett grumbled in response; she loved Castle more than anything but the thought of a mini Rick filled her with a mixture of adoration and terror. Kate thought she had trouble handling a faux five year old Castle, but a real one? She shuttered to think of the mischief that ruggedly handsome baby boy would cause. _He'd be pretty adorable though_, she smiled a little.

But part of her wanted a girl. Someone teach things to, about life, about being a woman. Someone to name after her mother.

"So- how's the first few weeks of maternity leave going?" Rick asked, cutting the silence as he put the dishes in the sink.

"I miss the precinct." Kate replied quicker and more frank than she planned, her hands resting on her pregnant belly once again.

"Yeah I figured it was going to be kind of weird for you, you know, not solving murders and chasing down suspects all the time." There was a suspicious tone in his voice. Like he'd rehearsed this phrase. Rick was up to something, she knew it.

"Well I haven't done that in months remember, I was on desk duty since everyone in the 12th figured out I was pregnant."

Castle hesitated realizing the comment was supposed to be a jab at him. The premature exposure of the baby secret was his fault. They had wanted to keep it to themselves for a while; at least until Kate started showing. It had started with a simple comment made by Castle about how cute baby feet are to Esposito (who was completed weirded out and puzzled by the conversation). But soon Castle's natural talkative behavior set in; he wanted to tell the world how proud he was that Kate Beckett was having his baby.

Then he promised to just tell Ryan and Espo and keep it from Gates until the time made sense. But then Espo told Lanie one night, who told a chatty-Kathy friend of hers in the morgue. And Gates, well Gates spent most of her years as a cop in Internal Affairs; so it's kind of her job to know how to uncover secrets. And so it turns out it's pretty hard to keep a secret from a bunch of detectives, and people who 'detect' things for a living. Like pregnancies, and baby bumps.

"-But being in the apartment all day is _worse_ than desk duty. I think I miss the all excitement around the office. I miss solving murders."

"-And _I miss_ following you around. And helping you solve murders," Castle muttered softly. It had been the spark that had ignited everything for them. The thrill of it all had brought them closer together, and kept them together through all the years. Without it, they wouldn't be together. Ironically without solving murders, Kate knew she wouldn't be pregnant with his baby.

"Think about it this way. Isn't this the first time you've had any real time off in like five years?

"Six actually." Kate said, a bit embarrassed. Secretly one of the reasons she hadn't taken too many days off, was that even before they were together, going to work meant seeing him. Spending time with him all day. She loved that.

"Whoa."

"I know. But I've been just sitting around the apartment watching Temptation Lane re-runs. I've even resorted to watching 'cheesy crime dramas', but it's no use I always know who did it, because they always show the killer in like the first fourteen minutes of the show… It's just, it feels like years since I interrogated someone or solved a murder."

Kate thought for a moment. Kate and Castle both knew her job was everything to her. She put her heart and soul into every case. But they both knew that for the sake of the baby, she needed to get out of the stressful environment of the precinct and spend some time preparing for full on motherhood. But so far maternity leave was the pits. No dead bodies or vicious perps to interrogate, in her macabre world it just didn't feel right if she didn't see at least one dead body before 10 in the morning.

Kate glanced at the clock- 9 am. Since the first seventy two hours into her maternity leave she was already hoping for a murder to solve. Castle's phone buzzed, and the screen brightened on the other side of the table.

_A case? _Beckett wished. Even though she knew it wouldn't be the precinct begging her to come back, a little part of her wished it would. Rick complained into the phone. "No Mother, I'm not letting your acting class practice in my apartment again. You remember what happened last time?"Some girl scissor-kicked her way through 'Chicago' right into my coffee table."

Kate laughed, she remembered coming home that night wondering why a sparkly thigh high boot had gone through the glass table in the living room.

"Fumigated? Why would your acting studio need to be fumigated? _Termites_. How does a cement walled studio get termites?" Kate could here buzzing on the other end. "Ugggh… " He sighed away from the phone. Castle left the kitchen to bicker comically with his mother in the other room.

_What am I supposed to do on maternity leave anyway? _Kate thought as she stood up to dry her teacup. _What am I going to do all day, waiting for this baby? Take up knitting?_ She shook off the idea quickly. _She_, Kate Beckett was not the knitting type. She was the tough as nails detective type who kicked down doors, shook up perps, and chased down suspects. Knitting just didn't fit into the image. What was she going to knit, a frilly gun holster?

There was the baby to prepare for of course, birth classes to take, and a room to decorate but she couldn't see herself spending every second of her time squabbling with Castle about what color to paint the baby's room. Besides her 'nesting period' (as Martha had described it) had already started. She'd spent a whole week furiously dusting things for no reason, and rearranging picture frames into odd configurations.

Castle reentered the kitchen, "Looks like my mother's going to need the apartment this weekend for her acting workshop," He reported, a bit of regret in his voice. Castle hugged her bump from behind. His hand laid on top of hers across her stomach. Kate looked at him warmly and smiled.

"Hey- why don't we go up to the Hamptons for the weekend? That way we can let my mother do the workshop, and get out her hair. And you my beautiful detective-"

He nuzzled her neck and kissed it softly. "-Can have a chance at some _real_ vacation time."

"We could invite the whole gang at the 12th too. Espo, Lanie, Ryan and Jenny. Maybe they can fill us in on all the dirt from the precinct. We could all use a break. Get some sun." Rick proposed.

Kate looked up, "Sounds good to me." She pulled him in for a kiss.

"Mmmm," He pulled away after a few seconds of bliss. "We could all play 'Clue', if your murder solving talents aren't out of practice that is..." Rick teased.

Kate looked puzzled. "What's 'Clue'?" He let out a little girlish surprised gasp, "Uhhh… wait _Detective_ Kate Beckett, you mean to tell me you have never played 'Clue'?"

"Nope."

"And never seen the 1985 cult classic film?"

"No."

He took in another gulp of disbelief."Well that changes this weekend. Prepare to get educated in the thrilling game of 'Clue'. A game you were born to play."

* * *

_Chapter 2, coming soon. _

**Please rate/review, it only takes a moment but it would make my day.**

**I love and appreciate suggestions. Oh and I apologize if there is any grammatical/spelling errors. I tend to write fanfics in the dead of night… caught in the frenzy of idea and inspiration**.


	2. The Games We Play

**A/n:**I really appreciated the feedback on the last chapter. I love to hear from people!I hope this chapter has what you're looking for: fun, games (literally) and a bit of the usual fluff to keep things sweet. Oh I included the way my family plays 'Clue' we always come up with a story to explain why it was _ in the _ room with a _. Makes things more interesting. It also seemed like the way Castle the imaginative writer that he is would play it. :)

Let the games begin!

**Thanks for all the faves/subscribing/reviewing. **

**Chapter 2:**** They Games We Play**

As waves crashed outside the window, Kate Beckett realized she'd woken up in something close to paradise.

"What's on the menu tonight chef?" Beckett asked as she came down the stairs. It smelled like little winged cooking angels has ascended onto the kitchen while she had taken her afternoon nap. She was exhausted from a combination of getting the beach house ready for their friends tonight, and just general pregnancy tiredness. The baby was wearing her out.

Castle called back from the kitchen. "Why, a Richard Castle specialty… pasta carbonara. Wanna taste?"

"Of course!" She loved when he cooked. Though she dabbled in a few gastronomic adventures from time to time, her specialty was Chinese or any other kind of take-out. She'd become an expert after years of tireless nights at stakeouts and getting home late from the precinct. That meant when Rick was cooking she was happy to do the dishes. Kate padded into the kitchen and accepted his outstretched spoon. She rolled her eyes at his campy 'Kiss the Cook' apron. "So when are our special guests arriving?" She blew on her steaming spoonful of sauce.

"Around six thirty. Ryan and Jenny have to drop baby Lilly off at her sister's on the way. Espo and Lanie said they'd come as soon as they could."

"Mmmmm- delicious." Kate took a heavenly bite of the sauce.

"Well thank you," Castle flashed a thousand watt grin at her. "-Oh you mean the sauce. Yeah I guess it's pretty good."

"It's amazing. In fact I think I'm going to take you up on that offer…" She said gesturing to his apron. She clutched his apron and pulled him in for a kiss, maneuvering the best she could with a baby bump. Just as their kiss deepened, Castle wrapped his arms around, and let a hand fall to her stomach. An odd and sudden sensation rushed through her belly. Kate pulled away first.

"Oh my god-"

"What, what is it?" Castle asked looking concerned.

"I think, I think the baby just kicked."

"What?" Castle looked down at her bump, and ran his hand gently across it.

"There it is again." Kate's eyes widened. Their eyes met. A warm smile spread across her face. Rick's face echoed hers. She leaned her head into her boyfriend's shoulder contently. Though she was in the last months of pregnancy and had experienced allot the other things that came with having a tiny human inside of her… it was at that moment it finally hit her: _He/She's moving around in there. We are having a baby. _

_**-Later that day-**_

"This is great Castle, seriously man…" Espo praised taking bite after bite of his pasta.

"Yeah I really appreciate you inviting us all. 'Means allot." Ryan added, passing salad across the table to his wife Jenny. Beckett leaned over to Rick and gave him a kiss on the cheek and whispered in his ear: "Thanks for making dinner." He beamed at her, squeezing her hand under the table.

In the dimmed light, the Castle's Hamptons beach house was full of friendly conversation.

"When you've got good friends, good food, good wine- what could be better?" Castle toasted lifting his wine glass. "A toast to great friends…" Everyone followed suit, clinking glasses.

"Here, here." Lanie said with a smile.

When the meal was over, and everyone was clearing the table for dish duty- Castle called everyone into the living room. They all gathered around a table, plopped on couches. "Now for the main event." Castle clutched a board game box. 'Clue' was inscribed across the front.

"Clue or Cluedo as it's called in the U.K, is a game of wit, challenge and crime solving prowess. That is why I've brought together the best crime solvers I know together under one roof to test your skills." His voice was excited like a little boy on Christmas. He set the board on the table amongst their wine glasses and began to dole out to pieces and arrange the game.

"There are six characters. Six different weapons, nine rooms… and one poor cold stiff. The ultimate Agatha Christie-style 'whodunit'. First to get the correct set of killer, weapon, and room wins. The best part? You can come up with whatever explanation you want. Anything goes as long as you get all the parts correct."

"No wonder you like this game." Kate added, leaning back into the sofa. Castle shuffled the cards and arranged the different decks. Pieces were passed to each member of the group. Beckett snapped up the instruction manual and flipped it open.

"Who's the stiff?" Espo asked, as if they were accessing a crime scene.

"Mr. Boddy. Rich tycoon. Found dead at his Tudor Mansion. His body was found at the foot of the cellar stairs by Miss Scarlett."

"Let me guess? You're Coronel Mustard."

Castle nodded, "How did you know?" Beckett flipped a page in the instruction pamphlet. "'Coronel Mustard, the dashing and suave military man with rugged good looks and an extensive lady killer history… but is he a real killer?' Need I say more?" Beckett eyed as her boyfriend took in an extra-long sip of wine.

"Wait a second! I don't remember that bio from my childhood game set…" Ryan said leaning over to read what Beckett had read. "Did you come up with your own bios for the characters?" The detective asked, realizing that a few pages had been haphazardly stapled into the book; the type face was different than the rest of the book.

"I'm a dedicated fan of the game, okay?" He admitted his eyes darted across his friends faces. Chatter spread across the group, a few giggled.

"Wait which piece did I get?" Beckett asked, looking at her plastic figurine. A svelte femme fatale in vivid red. "Miss Scarlet," Reading it, Kate sucked in a frustrated breathe. "Let's see: This girl is fiery: a true femme fatale. An aspiring but not very talented actress. Has decided on a career change and is now setting her sights on rich old widowers… what?" Castle comically avoided her gaze.

"You planned this! First Nikki, now this- why am I always the slut?" Beckett gave Castle a look. She was only half teasing him, half complaining. He seemed to have a thing for making her the 'a certain kind of character'.

"Not as bad as me- I'm Mrs. White the maid!" Ryan complained. Jenny giggled, "I'm Mr. Green. What about you Lanie?"

"Mrs. Peacock." Lanie reported. She turned to Espo.

"Professor Plum," Espo said grumbling, turning the piece in his hand. "Who goes first?"

"I believe it says here that Miss Scarlett does. Miss Scarlet will you do the honors?" Castle asked.

Beckett rolled the dice.

"Let the games begin!"

(Break)

Things were getting heated.

"Obviously it's Miss Scarlet with the revolver in the study!" Castle said. "Mr. Boddy keeps a gun in his desk in his office, because that's where he probably keeps his safe, it's behind that painting." He pointed to a little picture printed into the side of the little cardboard room. The rest of the group inspected the inside of the eyelids with a group eye roll. "Besides there's a hidden passage over there that leads to the cellar. Miss Scarlett could easily move him down to the steps and pretend she just 'found' him there."

The group of detectives and crime solving friends got wrapped up in trying to outdo each other, mostly Castle with their explanations.

"But what motive does she have?" Beckett asked, defending her character. She leaned into Castle's gaze on the couch. Their eye contact added to the drama; the dance their eyes seemed to play.

"She's after his money of course! Maybe he caught her breaking into his safe, they fought, and she grabbed gun- and 'wa-bang' " He made a gun with his hands.

"So you're saying it was an accident? Miss Scarlet's hands just slipped and the gun went off?" Kate's voice was comically dramatic.

Castle was taking this whole thing seriously. "No… she planned to kill him anyway… it was all part of her plan. She would seduce him, get herself put into his will and then when the time was right knock him off. It just happened earlier than expected."

The rest of the group had given up interrupted the two of them hours ago. When they were on a roll, there was no stopping them until the case was solved. Their friends just sat riveted watching the story unfold.

Kate sighed. "It could have been someone within the household staff. Like you always say: it's the butler!" She smiled wryly. "What about Mrs. White? In the dining room with a candlestick. Would have been close by, handy murder weapon."

Castle and Beckett had been going at it like this for a few hours. It was just like their usual bickering in the precinct over Castle's zany ideas. Just like old times. This whole experience had brought out all their old sexual tension, all the bantering they'd started their relationship with.

"Wait what? Me!" Ryan protested. "It couldn't have been me, I'm just *cough cough* the maid." He wasn't too fond of his character, but it was all fun and games.

Castle grinned, "You know, Detective Beckett- that's plausible. '_She_' had motive." Gesturing to Ryan who scoffed it all off. "If you'll look at my bios Detective Beckett under Mrs. White…" She scooped up the book again like he asked.

"Mrs. White, though she's seems innocent has quite a past. She's Mr. Boddy's long-time widowed housekeeper and cook, but before she had a secret life as showgirl. She's always dreamed of a more glamorous life for herself. Mr. White died in World War II and since then she's taken up a torrid affair with Mr. Boddy's mysterious Uncle Sir Hugh Black."

"Obviously, she planned to rob Boddy blind after gaining his trust over the years… as revenge. Who wants to give someone sponge baths and cook their meals for twenty years without a little incentive, anyway? The revengeful maid is a common theme," Rick raised an eyebrow.

"And White probably planned to eliminate Boddy so that his Uncle and her _lover_, Boddy's only heir could get the riches and the estate…" Beckett finished his statement. As usual they were almost psychic.

"How do you guys come up with this stuff?!" Ryan asked, only half surprised because _it was _Castle.

"Easy, it's always got something to do with either revenge, sex, or money. Sometimes all three. Those ones are the best." Castle explained proudly taking a sip of his wine. "Right Kate?" He winked at her.

"Pretty much. We just put it together." She smiled, held his hand. He kissed her. They were probably the only couple on earth, who got all hot and bothered when they talked about murder. _I guess every couple's got to have their 'thing' right?_

Castle realized then that despite her maternity leave, He and Beckett could still solve murders together… just on a less serious stage and with little plastic people. But it still did the trick.

**Thanks for reading! More maybe coming soon, but I need suggestions for the rest of it… any ideas? I'll use the ones I like the best! **

**Much love, Oreos and smiley faces,**

**W.E.C. (Wild Endangered Cantaloupe) **


End file.
